Verizon to finalize MCI acquisition in early 2006

The Biz Journal is reporting that "Verizon and MCI say the two companies have formed a planning team made up of executives from both companies to develop post-merger strategies and to make final personnel recommendations..... "We intend to be ready to compete at the highest possible level the moment we close our merger," Verizon chief executive Ivan Seidenberg said in the filing."